A Saudi Arabian Phenomenon Revisited [Video]

The video you are about to watch was filmed by a driver who stopped along the freeway with many others just outside Al-Ahsa City, in Saudi Arabia. Throughout the last few years there have been many theories put forth as to what caused this phenomenon. Along with those theories, various names have been used to describe it, like "Sand Geyser," "Sand Fountain," "Sand Volcano," and "Sand Injectites." The quality of the video is not the best because it was filmed with a cell phone, and the person who filmed it has not ever identified himself. However, the video is good enough to show that something very powerful was taking place in the desert that day.

Sand geyser outside of Al-Asha City, Saudi Arabia

The video was taken in 2006, but to this day there is very limited information about what exactly happened to create such a spectacular eruption. Try as I have, I could not find any information about the phenomenon that would bring me any closer to understanding what happened that day. So after 5 years it seems that whatever took place is still a mystery.

What I did learn about the phenomenon was that there was no seismic activity recorded at the time, and witnesses reported that no water or oil mixed in the sand. There was also no evidence of a natural gas leak, as many of the people standing around were smoking and no fires erupted. Adding to the mystery is that there have been no reports of another such event happening anywhere in the world since.

At the time, it was reported that the Saudi government sent out scientists and geological experts from the state-run Aramco Oil Company to investigate the phenomenon. However, after 5 years they have yet to release their findings to the public.

This actually falls in line with the way the royal family handles situations about events which they themselves are confused about. The House of Saud keeps a very tight rein on their subjects, and they do so by taking advantage of their religious beliefs.

History shows us that Islam has only survived because its followers are usually kept in a state of fear and or poverty. Even in Muslim countries whose citizens are better off economically, the leaders use Sharia law to keep the citizens in a dark-ages mentality when it comes to true freedom. So when it comes to being forthright with their citizens, the less open they are the easier it is to control them. That's especially true when it comes to such events like the sand geyser phenomenon.

In Saudi Arabia, the House of Saud must also contend with the fact that because they use an Islamic theocracy to rule, they are claiming that an infallible god is in charge. So the government would rather be silent about their inability to explain the phenomenon. After all, if the ruling family is clueless, then they don't have a direct line of communication with Allah. That would mean that Allah is not in charge, and that means the House of Saud would have a big problem controlling their subjects.

As for experts outside of Saudi Arabia, there is plenty of speculation on their part. However, nothing has been unanimously agreed upon as of yet. Below the video I have listed some of the many different explanations that have been suggested. If you have any other theories, please by all means let me know by visiting my blog at GATE, and I will add them to my list.

A certain Muslim named, Subuhanallah, claims that it is a supernatural miracle caused by Allah himself, which he does quite often in this world. This person says that it is well beyond our limited scientific knowledge to find out the whats, hows, and whys, regarding this phenomenon.

(While Allah is not God, God has given mankind the ability to know everything we wish to know. Jesus tells us that we should,

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7 (NKJV)

I am a firm believer that if we have the faith of a mustard seed then we can and will have the scales of confusion lifted from our minds.)

Another Muslim has suggested that the Qur'an mentions such peculiar events. The person quoted from some obscure ambiguous passage that refers to the earth releasing its burdens in ways that can even make the sands of the desert do strange things.

(I did all I could to find this passage and I was not able to locate it, but maybe someone else can. Here is a link to the Qur'an. )

It was caused by a busted sewage pipe. Notice how you see only the sand from the outer shell of the eruption? Well if it were truly a sand geyser you would see the sand piling up fairly quickly into a huge sand dune. This happens in the Middle East all the time. Notice also that the people are just standing there as the traffic seems to be moving at a normal pace.

(Yea right, so why isn't anyone holding their nose, and besides the witnesses reported no water and no smell.)

It was caused by an underground Armaco oil pipeline that busted.

( So why is the sand not black?)

It was caused by a broken water main underground.

(That is a lot of sand to be kicked up by a broken water main, or any broken pipe for that matter. Again, witnesses said there was no water, just sand.)

It was caused when an underground natural gas fissure broke through the tectonic plates and the sand geyser is a result of the gas forcing its way to the surface.

(That is a lot of pressure for a natural gas leak. Also, if it were a natural gas leak I doubt the people would be standing around watching it very long before it blew up. After all a vast majority of Arabs smoke cigarettes. Someone would have ignited it and thus the official explanation would be very evident.)

It's a sand injectite which is created under certain conditions, when unconsolidated sand is remobilized and forced upward through overlying layers. These sands can have high porosity and permeability and play a huge role in planning and optimizing hydrocarbon recovery.

(This is a very good possibility, However, no independant analysis has been asked for by the government, and as of yet the Saudi government has never released its findings. )

Al Hasa is in the eastern Provence and has a large gas gathering capability. Also, the Saudi Arabian oil industry practices CO2 gas reinjection in order to maintain reservoir integrity. If the driver gas is analyzed, they may find out that it is mere CO2. The geyser could very well result from air CO2?) being expelled from one of the pressurized fields.

(This suggestion is beginning to gain wide support, but again there is no official confirmation.)

It was caused by the drilling for oil. When they pumped air into the ground to cause the pressure needed to force the oil up the pumps, they failed to consider that another hole would be caused releasing the air pressure which created the phenomenon.

(This is similar to the prior theory, but there are no reports about of an oil well being put in place when the event occurred)

A sand blow, or sand volcano. This occurs (usually after an earthquake) when an Intense seismic shaking causes the sediments that are loose to change from a solid to liquid (not literally), due to the pressure of the seismic shaking. This opens up gaps between the clay. A fracture occurs through the loose sediment that causes an upward flow of sand to fly out of the ground that looks like a geyser.

(Interesting theory, but no seismic activity was reported that would be sufficient enough to cause this phenomenon)

It's sand being blown upwards from a gigantic Muslim sand worm who is working its way through the desert to join the 13 million Muslims who go to Mecca every year to walk around the Kaaba seven times.

(Wrong, everyone knows that worms are agnostic. )

Either the Mummy is returning for a sequel, or the Scorpion King is digging an underground tunnel for an express train from SaudiArabia to Iran.

(This makes a lot of sense because I really liked the Mummy movies)

Well, regardless what you or I may think caused this phenomenon, you must admit that after 5 years of speculation by the public, it is quite strange that that there is still no official explanation offered by experts from around the world. So, what do you think?

Chuck Ness is a professional blogger who writes about politics and human interest stories from a Christian conservative point of view. Contact him by writing to NewsBlaze or go to his blog at www.norcalblogs.com/gate/

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